location of carronades on a RN 74 gun ship

[bruce d]

The National Archives (UK) has a searchable catalogue so I searched 'carronade' and 'deck' and came up with some interesting anecdotes.  Posted below are extracts from the text of file descriptions relating to ships I identified as 74s, including captured ships.  Please note the file descriptions are summaries of the contents so may not be exact quotes of the wording within the document.  The ADM xxx/xxx reference you see in most of them is the individual file number.

This first item is interesting by pointing to Admiralty instructions on the subject:

 

Folios 168-169: Davidge Gould, HMS Majestic, Hamoaze. Reports that his ship has been fitted and that there is a Navy Board order to put 32-pounder carronades on the quarter deck, but that they await orders from the Admiralty. The carronades are ready to be taken aboard as soon as it is received. Admiralty note on rear says was not a general order given re fitting Line of Battle ships with carronades on the quarter deck except in the wake of the rigging? Orders dated 17 March 1797 and 23 March 1797 from the Navy Board, described the fitting to be made.

1801 Mar 30       ADM 1/1848/127 --- The extracts below are mostly general correspondence from Captains or Port authorities concerning individual 74s. ---

	Arthur Kaye Legge, HMS Repulse, Hamoaze. States the Carronades fitted on board HMS Repulse having been found to answer in every respect and being clear of the rigging and the ship being equal to carry the four Eighteen Pounders on the Quarter Deck and Forecastle. He requests they give directions for their remaining as they are never without any attention.
	1805 Nov 17            ADM 1/2074/116 ---     Home Popham, London Colonel Congreve informs him that there will be no difficulty in fitting the 'new principle' carronades on HMS Sterling Castle, and this mode will enable the guns to be worked with fewer hands, while taking up less room on the quarter deck.   1813 Jan 23         ADM 1/2344/20 --- Samuel Hood, HMS Courageux, Woolwich. Regarding the difference between the number of guns and carronades on Courageux's quarter-deck and the forecastle and the establishment, and requesting that directions be given to the Officers of the Ordnance at Woolwich Warren [Arsenal] to fit such guns as their Lordships deem fit for the ports fitted to those decks.   1800 May 20        ADM 1/1922/240 ---   Sir Benjamin Hallowell, HMS Tigre in Portsmouth Harbour. Asks to be allowed to have 2 x 68m carronades fitted in the Bow Port of the lower deck instead of 2 x long 32m he left at Malta. Also asks for small sweep pieces to be fitted to the gun carriages instead of the horns they now have. Comments that the foremost gun on the lower deck is placed so far in the round of the bow as to risk injuring the men working the next gun. 1808 Feb 10         ADM 1/1934/11 ----   Henry Blackwood, 30 Edward Street, Portman Square, London. Requests replacement of guns on HMS Warspite (four long heavy 12 pounders on the 2nd deck and two in the forecastle), with 32 pound carronades, which will reduce the load significantly. Also considers that the ship will benefit by changing the long 24 pounders to 18 pounders as the vessel is suffering with the weight. 1809 June 12       ADM 1/1545/121 -----   Edward Codrington, Charles Street, Berkeley Square, [London]. Request for his ship (HMS Orion) to be supplied with eighteen pound guns for her forecastle and quarter deck, instead of the thirty two pound carronades and twelve pound guns and explains his reason for the request. 1810 Feb 16        ADM 1/1656/92 ---   William Sugden in the absence of Commissioner Proby. Receipt of warrants to provide all two deck ships with 18-pound carronades on their round house instead of 12-pounders and to receive candles from Mr. Bedford on contract. 1781 Oct 16        ADM 106/1264/222 ------   William Hargood, HMS Belleisle, the Hamoaze. Asks permission to leave the six Carronades on his Poop Deck ashore, as in action he has found they are too heavy for that deck. 1806 Mar 12  (note: this is a captured French 74)  ADM 1/1932/68 ---   Robert McDouall, HMS Ganges, Portsmouth Harbour. Requesting that carronades be supplied for the quarter deck to replace the 9-pounders, as these would both strengthen the ship's force and reduce top weight. 1796 Nov 28      ADM 1/2131/9 --- Charles FitzGerald, Portsmouth. Requests the Admiralty consider ordering six 24-pounder carronades to be fitted to the poop deck of HMS Brunswick.   1794 Oct 12                      ADM 1/1794/82 ---   William Essington, HMS Goliath, Portsmouth. He asks that the quarter deck on HMS Goliath is fitted for 2 carronades. 1801 July 7                    ADM 1/1767/66 ---   Richard Grindall, HMS Ramillies, Torbay. Requests an order for HMS Ramillies to be supplied (when she is next in Port) with 32 Pounder Carronades in the room of the 9 Pounders on the Quarter Deck as other ships in the class have found them of great utility. Also two additional 18 Pounder Carronades for the Poop Deck Having only four at the moment and space for more. 1799 Aug 25           ADM 1/1846/159 ---   Thomas Graves, HMS Cumberland, Portsmouth Harbour. Request for HMS Cumberland to be equipped with six 32 pounder Carronades in lieu of her six 18 pounder Carronades on her Poop. Tow of the former he would wish to have placed on the Fore part of the Quarter Deck also with two Carronades 68 pounder on the Forecastle which are in store at this Port. 1799 Sept 26                ADM 1/1846/82 ---   Alan Hyde Gardner, HMS Resolution at Portsmouth Dock. Requests that HMS Resolution be fitted with thirty two pound carronades on the Quarter Deck and Forecastle instead of the usual nine pound carriage guns. 1800 Nov 3             ADM 1/1847/14 ---   Alan Hyde Gardner, HMS Resolution at Portsmouth Dock. Reiterates his request for a complete fitting of carronades on the Quarter Deck, having with the builder in Portsmouth dockyard, established that there is little difference between the carronades and carriage guns in how far they throw their muzzle. 1800 Nov 10            ADM 1/1847/15 --- Askew Pafford Hollis, HMS Achille, Portsmouth. Having written on 20 December 1813 to the Admiralty through Admiral Sir Richard [Hussey] Bickerton Bart requesting two 32 pound Carronades on trucks might be embarked for the Quarter Deck of HMS Achille, in lieu of two long 18 Pounders. As HMS Achille's Guns are about to be embarked he requests directions be given for the two Carronades to be supplied. 1814 Jan 25              ADM 1/1949/21 ---   Receipt of letter and warrants to report on the feasibility of fitting carronades on the Princess Amelia, to prepare the quarter deck of the Cambridge to take carronades, to report on the number of ships that could be fitted with carronades and serve in the Summer in the North Sea ... 1782 Feb 15                   ADM 106/1273/36 ---   There are plenty of other ships and smaller craft mentioned as well but I have not included them.  If interested, the site is ...  Discovery | The National Archives   HTH, Bruce

 

 

[AON]

Thank you Bruce.

I find the mention of those in 1790's and earlier quite interesting